U.S. patent application number 15/887745 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for container with a magnetic rewriteable display surface.
The applicant listed for this patent is Eric Lee Martin. Invention is credited to Eric Lee Martin.
Application Number | 20180222246 15/887745 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63039103 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180222246 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martin; Eric Lee |
August 9, 2018 |
CONTAINER WITH A MAGNETIC REWRITEABLE DISPLAY SURFACE
Abstract
A container for storing items may include a container body; a
lid designed to engage with the container body; and a rewriteable
magnetic display built into the lid or the container body. The
rewriteable magnetic display may be removably attached to the lid
or container body. Moreover, the container may include a stylus
designed to create erasable marks on the rewriteable magnetic
display. The container may also include food storage guidelines
printed or otherwise displayed thereon.
Inventors: |
Martin; Eric Lee; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Martin; Eric Lee |
Los Angeles |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63039103 |
Appl. No.: |
15/887745 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62454219 |
Feb 3, 2017 |
|
|
|
62545033 |
Aug 14, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F 9/375 20130101;
B65D 81/34 20130101; G02F 2001/094 20130101; G09F 2023/0025
20130101; B65D 2203/12 20130101; B65D 25/205 20130101; B65D 51/245
20130101; B43L 1/12 20130101; B65D 51/24 20130101; B43L 1/008
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B43L 1/00 20060101
B43L001/00; G09F 9/37 20060101 G09F009/37; B65D 51/24 20060101
B65D051/24 |
Claims
1. A container for storing items, the container comprising: a
container body; a lid designed to engage with the container body;
and a rewriteable magnetic display built into a member selected
from the group consisting of the lid and the container body.
2. The container of claim 1, further comprising a stylus designed
to interact with the rewriteable magnetic display to create a mark,
the stylus comprising an elongate body with a center orifice, an
internal magnet housed within the elongate body, and a magnetic
tip.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein the rewriteable magnetic
display comprises: a transparent enclosure; magnetophoretic display
fluid filling the transparent enclosure; containment mesh held
within the magnetophoretic display fluid; and metallic particles
suspended in the magnetophoretic display fluid.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the rewriteable magnetic
display comprises: a top clear panel; a base magnet; a
magnetophoretic display positioned between the top clear panel and
the base magnet; and an air gap slot positioned between the base
magnet and the magnetophoretic display.
5. The container of claim 4, wherein the magnetophoretic display
comprises: a plurality of cells; a display fluid filling the
plurality of cells; and metallic particles suspended within the
display fluid.
6. The container of claim 1, further comprising a food storage
guideline attached to a surface of a member selected from the group
consisting of the lid and the container body.
7. The container of claim 1, wherein the rewriteable magnetic
display is removably attached to the member selected from the group
consisting of the lid and the container body.
8. The container of claim 7, wherein: the rewriteable magnetic
display is removably attached to the container body; the container
body comprises a display slot attached thereto; and the display
slot is sized to accommodate the rewriteable magnetic display.
9. The container of claim 7, wherein: the rewriteable magnetic
display is removably attached to the container body; the container
body comprises a container recess sized to accommodate the
rewriteable magnetic display; and the rewriteable magnetic display
comprises a display attachment lip extending from outer edges
thereof, the display attachment lip designed to engage with the
container recess.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional patent
application U.S. Ser. No. 62/454,219 filed on Feb. 3, 2017 and
provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/545,033 filed on
Aug. 14, 2017, the entire contents of each of which is herein
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The embodiments herein relate generally to storage
containers, and more particularly, to a container with a magnetic
rewriteable display surface.
[0003] Conventional containers do not provide a built in method for
placing a temporary message or label, such as what is in the
container, who it belongs to, if it has an expiration date, or a
simple message, thereon. When users want to label conventional
containers, they often have to use a writing tool and sticker to do
so. However, this is wasteful and, if the user runs out of the
stickers, the user may not be able to label a container when
needed. Moreover, conventional labeling methods require use of
adhesives, papers, inks, wipes, chalk, dry erasers, or the like.
Labelling with these types of materials is consumptive, laborious,
and in cases, permanent.
[0004] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,018,979, 5,295,837, 5,112,229, 4,143,472,
3,229,281, 4,643,684, and 5,429503 the entire contents of each of
which is incorporated herein by reference, describe an apparatus
for providing a magnetic visual display. However, this technology
has never been built into a container for labeling thereof.
[0005] Moreover, many individuals do not readily know the longest
period of time that a food may be stored before it is not safe to
consume. As a result, people tend to be wasteful by disposing of
valuable food prematurely or, conversely, risk health by eating
unsafe and spoiled food.
[0006] Therefore, what is needed is a container with a magnetic
rewriteable display surface for placing a temporary message or
label to identify contents, expirations, ownership, or the like,
wherein the container may also include a food storage
guideline.
SUMMARY
[0007] Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a
container for storing items may include a container body; a lid
designed to engage with the container body; and a rewriteable
magnetic display built into the lid or the container body. The
rewriteable magnetic display may be removably attached to the lid
or container body. Moreover, the container may include a stylus
designed to create erasable marks on the rewriteable magnetic
display. The container may also include food storage guidelines
printed or otherwise displayed thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0008] The detailed description of some embodiments of the
invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures,
wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the
figures.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a detail section view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a detail section view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a detail section view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a section view of one embodiment of the present
disclosure, taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 9.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a section view of one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS
[0025] In the following detailed description of the invention,
numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the invention are
described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in
the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set
forth and that the invention can be adapted for any of several
applications.
[0026] The device of the present disclosure may be used as a
container with a magnetic rewriteable display surface and may
comprise the following elements. This list of possible constituent
elements is intended to be exemplary only, and it is not intended
that this list be used to limit the device of the present
application to just these elements. Persons having ordinary skill
in the art relevant to the present disclosure may understand there
to be equivalent elements that may be substituted within the
present disclosure without changing the essential function or
operation of the device.
[0027] a. Container
[0028] b. Lid
[0029] c. Magnetic Rewriteable Display Surface
[0030] d. Magnetic Stylus
[0031] The various elements of the device of the present disclosure
may be related in the following exemplary fashion. It is not
intended to limit the scope or nature of the relationships between
the various elements and the following examples are presented as
illustrative examples only.
[0032] By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1-16, some
embodiments of the present disclosure include a container for
storing items, the container comprising a container body, a lid
designed to engage with the container body, and a magnetic
rewriteable display built into a member selected from the group
consisting of the lid and the container body. In embodiments, the
container may further comprise a stylus 38 designed to interact
with the rewriteable magnetic display to create a mark 50. The mark
50 may be created, for example, by a magnetic tip 40 of the stylus
38 attracting magnetic particles to an outer surface of the
magnetic rewriteable display. To erase the mark, a user 46 may
simply press down on the magnetic rewriteable display, causing the
particles to be pulled away or dispersed from the outer
surface.
[0033] For example, as shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 6-8, a magnetic
rewriteable display may be built into a rewriteable lid 10 designed
to engage with a container body 36. Specifically, the rewriteable
lid 10 may comprise a housing 20 designed to engage with a lower
lid housing 30, which is in turn designed to engage with an upper
rim of the container body 36. The housing 20 may have a
magnetophoretic display 14 mounted or otherwise attached thereto. A
top clear panel 12 may optionally be attached to the housing 20
such that the magnetophoretic display 14 is sandwiched between the
top clear panel 12 and an optional bottom clear panel 28. In some
embodiments, a surface of the housing 20 opposite the
magnetophoretic display 14 may have a food storage guideline label
24 attached thereto. Alternatively, the food storage guidelines may
be printed directly on the surface of the magnetophoretic display
14 or the optional bottom clear panel 28 opposite the top clear
panel 12. The bottom clear panel 28 may be attached to a surface of
the housing 20 opposite the magnetophoretic display 14, such that
the food storage guideline label 24 is sandwiched between the
magnetophoretic display 14 and the bottom clear panel 28. Thus, the
bottom clear panel 28 may serve as a protective covering for the
food storage guideline label 24, wherein guideline text 26 may be
visible through the bottom clear panel 28. The lower lid housing 30
may include an outer lid housing attachment lip 34 encircling a
lower lid clear panel 32, wherein the lower lid housing attachment
lip 34 is designed to removably engage with the container body 36
to removably attach the rewriteable lid 10 to the container body
36.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, the magnetophoretic display 14 may
comprise a transparent enclosure filled with a magnetophoretic
display fluid 18 containing metallic particles 16 and containment
mesh 19 held within the magnetophoretic display fluid 18. As shown
in FIG. 7, when a magnetic device, such as the magnetic tip 40 on
stylus 38 is drawn across the magnetophoretic display 14 (or the
optional top clear panel 12), the metallic particles 16 are drawn
upwards and away from the area of the magnetophoretic display 14
proximate the bottom clear panel 28, creating a mark or written
image 50 on the outermost surface of the magnetophoretic display
14. To erase the written image 50 a user 46 may simply press a top
surface of the magnetophoretic display 14 with his or her finger
48, causing the metallic particles 16 to disperse back down into
the magnetophoretic display fluid 18.
[0035] Alternatively, as shown for example in FIGS. 9-12, the
container body 76 may engage with an alternate rewriteable lid
assembly 52 comprising a lid housing 72 with an optional top clear
panel 54 and a housing lip 74 designed to engage with an upper rim
of the container body 76. The lid housing 72 may have an alternate
magnetophoretic display 56 mounted or otherwise attached thereto,
such that a user 46 may display a rewriteable written image 50
thereon. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the lid housing 72 may
be designed to hold, in order, a bottom clear lid panel 70, an
optional food storage guideline label 68, a base magnet 66, the
magnetophoretic display 56, and the optional top clear panel 54. As
shown in FIG. 11, when pressure is not placed on the top clear
panel 54 pressing it toward the bottom clear lid panel 70, an air
gap slot 64 may be positioned between the base magnet 66 and the
alternate magnetophoretic display 56. The alternate magnetophoretic
display 56 may comprise a plurality of cells 58, a display fluid
62, such as an opaque or clear display fluid, filling the plurality
of cells 58, and metallic particles 60 suspended within the display
fluid 62. As shown in FIG. 11, when a magnetic device, such as the
magnetic tip 40 of stylus 38, is drawn across the outermost surface
of the top clear panel 54 or the magnetophoretic display 56, the
metallic particles 60 may be drawn toward the top clear panel 54,
creating a written image 50. To erase the written image 50, a user
46 may press down with his or her finger, causing the air gap slot
64 to depress, resulting in the base magnet 66 coming close to a
bottom surface of the magnetophoretic display 56. As a result, the
metallic particles 60 are pulled downward from the surface of the
magnetophoretic display 56 proximate to the top clear panel 54,
causing the written image 50 to be erased. While the drawings show
the base magnet 66 as a planar structure mimicking the size and
shape of the magnetophoretic display 56, other embodiments of this
base magnet 66 are envisioned. Specifically, the base magnet 66 may
be an elongate item designed to slide underneath the
magnetophoretic display 56 using a lever and a knob. Alternatively,
the magnetophoretic display 56 may be rotated with respect to the
base magnet 66 to attract the metallic particles 60 to the base
magnet 66, as well as rotated back to reset the drawings surface.
In such cases, the lid may comprise two housings, one of which
houses the magnetophoretic display and the second of which houses
the base magnet. The two housings may be operatively and
rotationally attached to each other by way of a screw-like, step,
or notch structure. When one housing is rotated with respect to the
other, an air gap is provided, resetting the drawing surface by
releasing the metallic particles from the magnetic field of the
base magnet.
[0036] Instead of the container lid including the magnetophoretic
display, it may be removably attached or secured to the container
body. For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the container body
78 may include a display slot 82 attached or built into one of the
walls of the container body 78. The magnetophoretic display 80 may
simply slide or otherwise be enclosed within the display slot 82.
Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the container body 84
may include a container recess 90 in at least one of the walls,
wherein the container recess 90 is sized to accommodate the
magnetophoretic display 86, which may include a display attachment
lip 88 extending from the outer edges thereof, the display
attachment lip 88 designed to engage with the container recess 90
and hold the magnetophoretic display therein.
[0037] In any case, the magnetic rewriteable display may be
removably attached to the lid or container body, allowing for
microwaving of the container and lid, washing of the container or
lid, and the like. In some embodiments, the magnetophoretic display
may be contained between the top clear panel and the bottom clear
panel under high atmospheric pressure to prevent the display liquid
from freezing or boiling when exposed to extreme temperatures.
[0038] The magnetic rewriteable display may be used with any
desired magnetic device, such as a magnetic tip stylus. In some
embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5, the stylus 38 may include an
elongate body with a center orifice 44, an internal magnet 42 built
into the elongate body, and a magnetic tip 40.
[0039] The container of the present disclosure may be made of any
suitable or desired materials. In some embodiments, the
magnetophoretic display may be housed in, for example, plastic or
silicone. The clear panels may comprise a protective glass or
plastic layer. The container body may have any desired shape or
size such that any desired items may be stored therein.
[0040] The food storage guidelines may be attached, adhered, or
printed on any surface of the container or lid. While these
guidelines are optional, they may be useful for reminding or
educating the user of food expirations.
[0041] Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that
numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the
functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide
variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the
present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the
breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments
described above.
* * * * *